Pneumatic recoil-check for gun-carriages



WW L. mm.

PNEUMATIC REGOIL CHECK FOR GUN GARRIAGES. T No. 535,928. Patented Mar.19, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIG-Ea HARRY A. SPILLER, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

PNEUMATIC RECOlL-OHECK FOR GUN-CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 535,928, dated March19, 1895.

Application filed October 4,1892. Serial No. 447,780- (No model.)

7 and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to pneumatic recoil checks for gun carriages.

The object is to produce a pneumatic recoil check for gun carriages, bywhich the recoil .and counter-recoil of the gun will be taken up and thegun run into battery without shocks or dangerous jars to the structureand without liability of derangement of the parts; furthermore,toproduce a pneumatic recoil check, by which the gun may be elevated ordepressed rapidly and with little manipulation of parts.

With these objects in view, the invention resides in a pneumatic recoilcheck for gun carriages, comprising a cylinder, a piston arranged in thecylinder, and connected to a moving part of the carriage, a receiverarranged adjacent to the cylinder, a passage connecting the cylinder andreceiver, and valves arranged in the passage; furthermore, in apneumatic recoil-check for gun carriages, comprising a cylinder and apiston arranged in the cylinder and provided with a chamber, a receiver,and a connection between the receiver and the cylinder; furthermore, ina pneumatic recoil check for gun carriages, comprising a cylinder, apiston arranged in the cylinder and provided with a chamber, a valveregulating the entrance to the chamber, a receiver, and a connectionbetween the receiver and the cylinder, controlled by valves;furthermore, in a pneumatic recoil-check for gun carriages, comprising acylinder, a piston arranged therein and provided with a chamber, valvesregulating the openings in the chamber, a receiver, and two connectionsbetween the receiver and the cylinder controlled by valves; and,finally, in a pneumatic recoil-check for gun carriages,

comprising a cylinder, a piston therein provided with a chamber, areceiver arranged adj acent to the piston and connected therewith, apipe connecting the two ends of the cylinder and provided with valves,whereby movement of the piston is cushioned and injury to the mechanismin rapid operation avoided.

The invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which thefigure represents a central, longitudinal, vertical sectional view of apneumatic recoil check constructed in accordance with my invention.

In the drawing, A represents a cylinder which is to be mounted in asuitable position relative to a gun, and, in the case of a disappearinggun, the cylinder is provided with suitable trunnions, allowing it thenecessary movements in operation. The cylinder is provided, at one end,with a packing-gland a, which is then around the piston-rod A to preventthe escape of air or other fluid to be confined in the cylinder. Thepiston is so constructed as to adapt it for connection with a gun,either directly, or through a suitable system of levers whereby motionof the gun is imparted to the piston and vice versa. The piston-rod ismade hollow, forming a chamber designed to receive the air or othercompressible fluid and this chamber communicates with the space at theend of the cylinder by a passage b controlled by a check-valve b thevalve having a small opening b extending entirely through it so thatthere will, at all times, be a communication between the chamber in thepiston and the end of the cylinder. The two ends of the cylinder areconnected bya return-pipe 0 having a checkvalve 0 arranged therein,whereby passage of air therethrough from the forward to the rear end ofthe cylinder is prevented, and, also, provided with a slide-valve 0 Thisslidevalve consists of a slide a, a stem 0 connected thereto, and havingits outer end screwthreaded, and a hand-wheel, 0 having a screw-threadedhub, 0 on the screw-threaded end of the stem. By the valve 0 the openingin the return-pipe may be regulated at will to regulate the passage ofthe quantity of air or other fluid from the rear to the front end of thecylinder at the time of the recoil to deranging the parts composing it.

regulate the working area according to the size of the charges fired inthe gun, and to insure the passage of a sufficient quantity ofcompressed-air to the forward end of th e'cylinder to aid in preventingthe counter-recoil of the gun.

D represents a receiver placed adjacent to ,or attached to the cylinderA and the end of the cylinder is provided with a passage (P, whichcommunicates with the cylinder through ports d controlled by suitableautomatic non-returnvalves (1 Each of these valvesis provided with afiat circular head which holds any suitable packing and has a stem (1held in some suitable guide and surrounded bya coilspring d The springshold the valves in a closed position. The passage (1 communicatesdirectly with the receiver D. Thus, it

will be seen, that, on the movement ot the piston towardthe endcontaining the valves, the air will overcome the resistance ofiered bythe springs d and force the valves open,

thereby allowing the air to enter the passage (1 and pass through to thereceiver D, where it is trapped. The passage d controlled by a suitablehand-valve d connects the receiver and cylinder and allows theintroduction of air from the receiver to the cylinder for the purpose ofoperating the piston.

The operation of the device is as follows: The gun being in loadingposition, and, therefore, the piston being at the end of the cylindercontaining the valves, air is admitted from the receiver to the spacebetween the piston and the end of the cylinder, overcoming the pressureon the outer side of the piston, thus causing the piston to ascend. Theair in the annular space around the piston, at the other end, will begradually compressed and thereby oifer an increasing amount ofresistance, thus forming an elastic cushion and preventing the pistonfrom striking the head of the cylinder violently. When the pressure atthe upper end increases by the lifting of the gun, the air escapesaround the pistonhead the piston fitting loosely in the cylinder, thuspermitting the escape of air, between it and the cylinder, to the lowerend thereof.

By this gradual displacement of air, the lifting of the gun is eifectedand the gun moves into battery without shocks and danger of On therecoil of the gun, the pressure overcomes the resistance of thenon-return-valves in the end of the cylinder and the air is forced intothe receiver, where it is trapped until the gun is again loaded, andrighted, ready to run into. battery. As the gun nears the end of therecoil, the resistance oifered by the air below the cylinder isovercome, the non returnvalves open and a quantity of air is trappedbelow the cylinder while a portion of the air compressed, passes intothe chamber in the piston through the opening vb in the check.- valve,thus allowing the gun to settle on'its butters without shock after therecoil is taken up. During the recoil of the gun, a portion of thecompressed-air or other fluid will passbetween the piston and thecylinder and thronghthe return-pipe to the other end of the cylinderready to form a cushion when the piston is again forced forward to runthe gun into battery. The opening I) in the valve 7 allows the pressureof air in the piston and below the same to equalize, and thus the gun isready for moving into battery a very short time after the recoil.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. A pneumatic recoil checkfor gun carriages, comprising a'cylinder, a piston having a closedchamber, and a valve-controlled opening leading'thereto from the end ofthe piston, a receiver arranged adjacent to the cylinder and a passageconnecting the cylinder and the receiver, substantially as described.

2. A pneumatic recoil check for gun carriages, comprising a cylinder, apisto arranged therein and provided with a closed chamber, a valvecontrolling the opening thereto, and having a passage through it, and areceiver communicating with the cylinder through avalve-controlled-passage, substantially as described.

3. A pneumatic recoil check tor gun car-.

riages, comprising a cylinder, a piston arranged therein,and providedwith a chamber communicating with one end of the cylinder, a receiverconnected to the cylinder, and a pipe having a check-valve connectingthe ends of the cylinder, substantially as described.

4. A pneumatic recoil check for gun carriages, comprising a cylinder, apiston arranged therein, a receiver connected to the cylinder, and apipe provided with a. handvalve and a check valve, arranged adjacent toand connecting one end of the cylinder with the other, substantially asdescribed.

5. A pneumaticrecoil check for gun carriages, comprising a cylinder, apiston arranged in the cylinder and connected to a moving part of thecarriage, a valve-controlled passage connecting the cylinder with areceiver and a pipe provided with a checkvalve connecting one end of thecylinder with the other, substantially as described.

6. A pneumatic recoil check for gun carriages, consisting of a cylinder,a piston arranged therein and provided with a chamber, avalve arrangedin the passage to the chamber, the valve having a passage through it, areceiver arranged adjacent to the cylinder, two passages connecting thecylinder and the receiver, one passage provided with automatic valves,and the other with a hand-valve, a pipe connecting the ends of thecylinder, and

having a check-valve and a hand-valve, subriages, comprising a cylinder,3. piston arranged therein, provided with a closed chamher, having acommunicating passage thereto, an annular chamber formed by the pistonin one end of the cylinder and a chamber in the other end thereof, areceiver adjacent to the cylinder and connected to the chamber bysuitable outlet and inlet passages, and a passage connecting thechambers at the ends of the cylinder, substantially as described. 10

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY A. SPILLER. Witnesses:

DAVID H. MEAD, E. M. PARRY.

